The LGBT+ Community are people too! (Random book #2)

The Lake, for His sake

     A few nights later, she returned to the lakeside, searching for an answer to her plea. This time she carried the first paper he had sent with her, for after studying it she determined he might want it back.
 
     Following the same thread of magic as before, Isabella found the second note. Her frown deepened as she read the note, and a sharp inhale was her reaction to the end. "օɦ ռօ... " she whispered quietly. "ɨ tօօk tɦɛ ʍɛʍօʀʏ tɦǟt ċօʊʟɖ ɦɛʟք ɦɛʀ ǟաǟʏ..."

     Shaking her head to clear away the bad feelings, she placed the original soul paper with the second note from him, then formed another of her own.

Dear Shadow,

I'm afraid I must admit I took whatever memory Cassia shared with Shade,because I assumed ultima had done something to upset her.
While I can't reverse the spell, I can get Cassia her stuffed dog, Spike. By the time you reach this note, she will have it.
You'll have to explain to me why you need it.

I'm afraid I have some bad news as well. Ultima is creating a mask, one that will be able to destroy worlds if she finishes it. The physical form is already finished, and as soon as she can use the knife again she plans on finishing her creation.

Do NOT let this happen. If Ultima's creation gets to full strength, I'm afraid no one, not even I could stop her then.

I have one more thing to mention before I go back to Cassia, and I need you to pay close attention to it. It's about the dreamscape I have her in.

If you do manage to rescue her, be warned, she will be different. After spending so long in the dreamscape, she will find it hard to believe anything without solid proof, and sometimes even then she won't. Act accordingly.

She's running out of time, Shadow. Please, hurry.

~Isabella

     With a small worried sigh she finished writing and placed it where she had put her first paper, and sealed it with the same burst of magic.

     Rising to her feet, for she had crouched to write the letter, Isabella vanished, heading back to the cave. When she reappeared within the cave, the sparkle of the golden bubble on the far end of the cave catching her eyes. Cassia must be having another one of her dreams with Ultima, the bubble only sparkled when it's occupant was dreaming with another. "ɨ ɦօքɛ ֆɦɛ'ֆ tʀɛǟtɨռɢ ʏօʊ աɛʟʟ, ċǟֆֆɨǟ... " she muttered quietly.

     Remembering the request Shadow had made of her, Isabella closed her eyes and concentrated on the image of Spike, the shimmering outline appearing in front of the mask as she concentrated. There was a flash, and the small stuffed animal appeared, dropping into Isabella's waiting hands.

     She opened her eyes as she felt the slight weight now in her hands, and smiled a bit. It was a sad smile, the memory of when Cassia first received Spike and Rose as a birthday present when she was a child edged with nostalgia. "ɨ ɦօքɛ ʏօʊ kռօա աɦǟt ʏօʊ'ʀɛ ɖօɨռɢ աɨtɦ tɦɨֆ, ċǟֆֆɨǟ..."

     Isabella crossed the deep cave, stopping beside the sleeping girl. "ċǟֆֆɨǟ, ɦɛ'ֆ ɢօɨռɢ tօ ċօʍɛ ʀɛֆċʊɛ ʏօʊ. ֆօօռ, ɨ քʀօʍɨֆɛ. ʊռtɨʟ tɦɛռ... " she sighed and gently pushed the hand holding Spike through the bubble, placing the stuffed dog on Cassia's chest. "tɦɨֆ ֆɦօʊʟɖ ɦɛʟք. ɨ'ʍ ֆօʀʀʏ ɨ ֆtօʟɛ ʏօʊʀ ʍɛʍօʀʏ օʄ tǟkɨռɢ tօ ֆɦǟɖɛ, ɨ ɖɨɖռ't աǟռt ʏօʊ tօ ɮɛ ʊռɦǟքքʏ. ɦօքɛʄʊʟʟʏ ɦɛ'ʟʟ ɮɛ ǟɮʟɛ tօ ʋɨֆɨt ʏօʊ ǟɢǟɨռ աɨtɦ tɦɨֆ..."

     Withdrawing her hand gently, Isabella returned to her post of standing across from Cassia, leaning against the wall to keep an eye on her. "ɨ'ʍ ֆօʀʀʏ tɦɨֆ աɦօʟɛ tɦɨռɢ ɦǟքքɛռɛɖ tօ ʏօʊ, ċǟֆֆɨǟ... ʏօʊ ɖօռ't ɖɛֆɛʀʋɛ tɦɨֆ." Tears pricked at the gentle mask's eyes, causing the world to turn blurry and stinging her eyes. "ɨ աɨֆɦ ɨ ċօʊʟɖ քʀօtɛċt ʏօʊ ɮɛttɛʀ... " she whispered. "ɮʊt ɨ'ʍ ռօt ֆtʀօռɢ ɛռօʊɢɦ, ʏօʊ'ʟʟ ɦǟʋɛ tօ աǟɨt ǟ ʟɨttʟɛ ʟօռɢɛʀ ʄօʀ ֆɦǟɖօա..."

     Lapsing back into silence, Isabella gazed at Cassia with a forlorn gaze, watching and waiting. That's all she could do now.